Effects of diets supplemented with sphingomyelin and Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium bifidum on colon cancer development

Abstract

Functional foods, probiotic and prebiotic, could play a modulating function on colon cancer development. In the present study, we have analysed the possible use of Lactobacillus casei (Lc) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (Bb) (108 ufc/ml) and sphingomyelin (SM) (0.05%), determining its effect on intestinal physiology.Balb/c mice were divided in three groups (n=12) and colon cancer was induced by a dimethilhydrazine injection s.c. for 3 weeks. They were fed for 9 weeks with a control standard diet and milk and standard diet and milk supplemented with the different bacteria strains. Body weight was recorded everyweek. A colon fragment was examined for the presence of aberrant crypt. Jejune was excised and analysed for the expression of SGLT‐1 and PEPT‐1 transporters by western blott. Including Bb/Lc/SM in the diet did affect the final body weight of the animals. In the supplemented diet group the crypt aberrant foci count was smaller (P<0.01) than in other group. SGLT1 expression in the supplemented diet group is significantly higher compared with the cancer colon group and is similar compared with control group. In the expression of PEPT‐1, the supplementation produced a significantly low expression compared with the cancer colon group and it is similar to control group. This data indicate that diets supplemented with symbiotic (Lc, Bb and sphingomyelin) shown beneficial effects related to colon cancer development.